Evacuation after train derails in Canada, catches fire

Evacuation has been ordered in Canada's province of Saskatchewan after a freight train derailed, catching fire and releasing a giant cloud of black smoke.

The CN Rail derailment occurred near the town of Wadena, Tuesday
morning, CBC News said. The small community of Clair is now being
evacuated. There have so
far been no reports of any injuries or damage in the
community.

A spokesman for CN said that 26 out of 100 cars derailed, 6 of
which contained hazardous materials, CBC Canada reports. Four of
them contained either hydrochloric acid or caustic soda, while
the other two had petroleum distillates, CN said.

"Of the 26 derailed cars, two cars carrying petroleum
distillate have spilled and that's the product that caught fire.
There were four other dangerous goods cars; two of hydrochloric
acid, two of caustic soda. They are reported to be intact,"
said CN spokesman Jim Feeny cited by Reuters.

The plumes of black
smoke have been confirmed to come from petroleum distillate,
which spilled from two of the derailed cars.

“They had fire and smoke,” Feeny said. “The crew is
not injured, but we have reports from the local authorities that
some nearby residents in the rural area have been
evacuated.”

Canada's Transportation Safety Board has deployed a team of
investigators to the site. CN claims that no injuries have yet
been reported as the accident happened off the main line.

“Provincial emergency services are headed out there,”
said Karen Hill, a spokeswoman for Saskatchewan provincial
emergency services, Canadian Press reports. “The RCMP have
closed the highway in both directions.”